Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-24


quartered therein from the occu-
patton OF Paris subsequent TO tine
victory OF Waterloo. A day or two
later the lynx eye OF the quartermasser
perceived the crack, OF which he mace
a careful note. At the ensuing inspec-
ton the pane was entered as "barracx
damages" and the regiment charged
for the expense Of putting IN q new
one. Nothing CT the kind, however,
was done, although the pane was noted
in every monthly inspection for many
years, and the various regiments wnien
Law in the barrack debited for the cost
of having il replaced.
In 1855, when a great outcry was
raised in the country III consequence Oh
Ire lamentable bungliDg OF the com
missariat authorities in connection with
the Crimean war, the army red-tipe
department was temporarily reused our
of its chronic inertia, and actually per-
ceived the expediency of doing some
thing. Pursuant to imperative orders,
a real live glazier made his appearance
at the orderly-room, armed with
square of glass and lump OF putty. i,
"What are You going to DO ?" asked
the colonel, who was writing In the
apartment.
"Stick in that there pane, sir"
81 am busy just now. Come back
two hours later
The workman didn't, but his time,
class. putty. &C., were duly charged to
the regiment, and the pane, as before,
was once month entered as barrack
damages right down to 1876. That
ycar q military board judged the bar
racks to be dilapidated and inconye-
nient. The building was accordingly
pulled down, and the fragments OF the
very-much-charged-for pane of glass
were probably cartcd away in the
df6ris.
Shortly after the Franco-Prussiau
war, while the German vidette system
was exercising the attention OF the
Horse-G Guards authorities, regiment
of cavalry at Aldershot was detailed to
so through a course of the drill in
question. The troopers one day were
extended individually over a wide ex-
panse of moor, and the colonel on the
right attempted to send a message to
the adjutant on the left The commu-
nication, which was verbal and of
very simple description-namely. The
enemy has assembled in force at
the Fox Hills"-was passed along
by word of mouth from man
to man. When about half way
trooper, while delivering the mes
sage, added "Could you give us fill
of baccer?" and the next man, little
imagining that this was a request per-
sonsl to himself, passed it along as part
of the communication. When, in its
extended form, the message reached
the adiutant, that officer marvelled at
the uDmilitary character of the latter
half. Imagining the while that it had
actually been transmitted by his com
mander, he remarked, - have no to-
bacco. but here are two cigars. " This
time the message was carried along
without any addition, and the weeds
were handed to the astonished colonel,
most opportunely, however. rs he was
out Of the commodity in question aud
badly wanted puff.
An Irish colonel, whose eccentricities
furnished material for the talk of the
town in which his regiment was quar-
tered, took great umbrage at local
paper, which we may call the Barrack-
ioica Sentinel, in which occasionally his
freaks were severely commented upon,
and issued stringent order prohibiting
its sale within barracks. This proceed
ing did not, of course, result in the
bankruptcy of the proprietOrs of the
| journal in question.
A umor obtaining currency that the
colonel had punished man for daring
to make use of copy of the Sentinel
as a wrapper for a parcel be was carry
ing to barracks, q reporter was sent to
make inquiry into the circumstance, IN
| order to obtain sensational "pal fOr
next issue. The representative OF the
| press obtained admission to barracks
in the character Of an intending recruit,
and while in the canteen managed to
worm out all the particulars OF the par
eel business. Most unluckily, how
ever. one of his cards, bearing
tie inscription, "Alr. Dash, Reporter,
EoYraclt0ua Ssatinci." dropped from
bis pocket, and an oflicious non-com-
missioned officer, eager to distinguish
himself, promptly laid his suspicious
as to the mission of the recruit be-
fore the commanding officer. The
colonel instantly experienced sensa-
tons akin to those probably felt by a
well-regulated bee when in the hive it
peIccives a predatory wasp. In a
| towering passion he shouted for file
of the guard and personally superin-
| tended the eiectment Of the objection
able intruder. "Kick that dirty scrib-
bling scoundrel out of the gate " he bel
lowed, with many objurgationsregarding
the "rag" that 50 persistently assailed
him, and so the colonel turned the ter
| rified reporter out of the barracks. The
commanding officers display of excite
ment was, under the circumstances, ex-
tremely iniudicious. Full details OF
| the scene between "our representa-
tive" and the hot headed warrior form
| ed the subject Of a two-column article
in the Sentinel. The colonels de-
meanor was graphically described, and
in consequence the officer was the
laughing stock oil the district for some
time afterwards. This experience cured
the colonel, who has since fought rather
! shy Of the gentlemen of the press.